DESCRIPTION. State the application's broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project. Describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving these goals. Avoid summaries of past accomplishments and the use of the first person. This description is meant to serve as a succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when separated from the application. If the application is funded, this description, as is, will become public information. Therefore, do not include proprietary/confidential information. DO NOT EXCEED THE SPACE PROVIDED. This proposal requests a Clinical Research Curriculum Award to continue and expand the program for Clinical Research Enhancement through Supplemental Training (CREST) at the University of California, San Diego. This award will allow UCSD to continue to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary training in research methods for future leaders in clinical and translational research. CREST has the primary objective of providing scholars with a) a solid foundation in patient-oriented research methodology covering clinical trials, epidemiology, biostatistics, and outcomes research, b research resources, mentorship and guidance, and c) practical skills in communications, grant writing career management, and interdisciplinary collaboration. By learning to design, manage, analyze and publish important clinical studies Scholars are encouraged to become independent investigators. The program is targeted to clinically-oriented MDs, PharmDs, or PhDs who are in fellowship training or in junior faculty positions, but also accepts nurses and other health professionals with advanced degrees. Special efforts are made to recruit minority and female applicants. The course work includes computer- and problem-based learning and is delivered in a modular format over eight quarters in evening classes once a week, thereby allowing scholars to maintain their primary research, clinical, or other occupational activities. Scholars are matched to a CREST Advisor to provide guidance for career Idevelopment. A degree program for a Master of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research developed by Ithe CREST faculty offers advanced training in research methods relevant to each Scholar's needs and linterests. I During the next grant period, we propose to enhance the program by implementing a new IProfessional development module, augmenting the mentoring experience, creating training Iopportunities for medical students and resident physicians, and developing a web-based distance Ilearning module to further transform CREST modules into time- and distance-independent instruction. IOur goal is to ensure that scholars emerging from this program will have the fundamental skills Inecessary for independent clinical research. PERFORMANCE SITE(S) (organization, city, state) UCSD School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA UCSD Medical Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego CA UCSD Thornton Hospital, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA San Diego Veterans Medical Center, La Jolla, CA KEY PERSONNEL. See instructions on Page 11. Use continuation Name Organization Ravindra L Mehta MD UCSD J. Allen McCutchan MD UCSD Gerry Boss MD UCSD W. Chris Mathews MD, MSPH UCSD Theodore Ganiats MD UCSD Deborah Wingard PhD UCSD Daniel Masys MD, UCSD Michael Ziegler MD UCSD pages as needed to provide the required information in the format Role on Project Program Director Associate Director, Research Area Coordinator Associate Director, Research Area Coordinator Research Area Coordinator Research Area Coordinator Research Area Coordinator Research Area Coordinator Director, GCRC PHS 398 (Rev 5/95) Page 2 Number pagesconsecutively at the bottom throughoutthe application. Do not use suffixes such as 3a, 3b PrincipInavl estigator/PrDogireacmt(oLrasFt,irstM, iddle)M: ehtRa,avindLrall Thenamoeftheprincipinavl estigator/prdoigreracmtmorusbteprovidaetdthetopofeacphrintepdagaendeacchontinuaptioange. RESEARCH GRANT